U.S. patent number 7,650,707 [Application Number 11/360,993] was granted by the patent office on 2010-01-26 for flexible and/or laterally stable foot-support structures and products containing such support structures.
This patent grant is currently assigned to NIKE, Inc.. Invention is credited to Derek Campbell, Michael Forsey, Ryusuke Hanaka.
United States Patent |
7,650,707 |
Campbell , et al. |
January 26, 2010 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Flexible and/or laterally stable foot-support structures and
products containing such support structures
Abstract
Support structures for footwear and the like include contact
surface-contacting members (e.g., outsole structures) having an
exterior surface that includes: (a) a recessed segment extending
longitudinally from a forefoot to a heel portion, (b) plural
lateral motion inhibiting traction elements in the lateral,
forefoot portion, and (c) plural medial motion inhibiting traction
elements in the lateral, heel portion. The recessed segment
provides a flex line about which the medial and lateral sides of
the surface-contacting member can move to independently engage and
disengage from a contact surface as a wearer's weight shifts. In at
least some structures, the lateral side of the foot-supporting
member may be less flexible and/or more stable than the medial
side. Support structures of the types described above can allow
more of the surface-contacting member to remain in contact with the
ground and provide a solid base or support for the movement or
activity.
Inventors: |
Campbell; Derek (Portland,
OR), Hanaka; Ryusuke (Sakura, JP), Forsey;
Michael (Lake Oswego, OR) |
Assignee: |
NIKE, Inc. (Beaverton,
OR)
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Family
ID: |
38229580 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/360,993 |
Filed: |
February 24, 2006 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20070199213 A1 |
Aug 30, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
36/127; 36/25R;
36/142; 36/102 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B
5/001 (20130101); A43B 3/0057 (20130101); A43B
13/141 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A43B
5/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;36/102,25R,31,103,127,129,142-144 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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20 2005 013282 |
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Dec 2005 |
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DE |
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2006016254 |
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Feb 2006 |
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WO |
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Other References
Partial International Search Report in corresponding PCT
Application, International Application No. PCT/US2007/003418,
mailed Jul. 31, 2007. cited by other .
International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in
corresponding PCT Application, International Application No.
PCT/US2007/003418, mailed Sep. 4, 2008. cited by other.
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Primary Examiner: Patterson; Marie
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.
Claims
We claim:
1. A sole structure, comprising: an outsole member including an
exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein the exterior
surface includes: a first recessed segment extending toward the
interior surface and in a longitudinal direction from a forefoot
portion to a heel portion of the outsole member, wherein the first
recessed segment provides a line of flex in the outsole member and
divides the outsole member into a medial side and a lateral side,
wherein the medial and lateral sides are movable about the line of
flex to independently engage and disengage from a contact surface
as a dynamic force moves laterally across the interior surface,
plural lateral motion inhibiting traction elements extending from
the exterior surface in the forefoot portion of the lateral side of
the outsole member, each lateral motion inhibiting traction element
including a substantially perpendicular wall facing the lateral
side and a sloped wall extending from the wall toward the exterior
surface, and plural medial motion inhibiting traction elements
extending from the exterior surface in the heel portion of the
lateral side of the outsole member, each medial motion inhibiting
traction element including a substantially perpendicular wall
facing the medial side and a sloped wall extending from the wall
toward the exterior surface.
2. A sole structure according to claim 1, wherein the outsole
member further includes plural ground penetrating traction elements
extending from the exterior surface in the forefoot portion of the
medial side and plural ground penetrating traction elements
extending from the exterior surface in the heel portion of the
medial side.
3. A sole structure according to claim 2, wherein at least some of
the ground penetrating traction elements have a height dimension
greater than their base length and base width dimensions.
4. A sole structure according to claim 1, wherein the exterior
surface further includes a second recessed segment extending toward
the interior surface and in a lateral direction in the forefoot
portion of the outsole member.
5. A sole structure according to claim 4, wherein the exterior
surface further includes a third recessed segment extending toward
the interior surface and in the lateral direction in the heel
portion of the outsole member.
6. A sole structure according to claim 4, wherein the exterior
surface further includes a third recessed segment extending toward
the interior surface and in the lateral direction in the forefoot
portion of the outsole member.
7. A sole structure according to claim 1, further comprising: a
first material at least partially filling the first recessed
segment, wherein the first material is softer than a material
making up a major portion of the outsole member.
8. A sole structure according to claim 1, wherein at least some of
the lateral motion inhibiting traction elements have a height
dimension less than at least one of their base length or base width
dimensions.
9. A sole structure according to claim 1, wherein at least some of
the medial motion inhibiting traction elements have a height
dimension less than at least one of their base length or base width
dimensions.
10. A sole structure according to claim 1, wherein the outsole
member constitutes a golf shoe outsole.
11. A sole structure, comprising: an outsole member including an
exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein the exterior
surface includes a first recessed segment extending toward the
interior surface and in a longitudinal direction from a forefoot
portion to a heel portion of the outsole member, wherein the first
recessed segment provides a line of flex in the outsole member and
divides the outsole member into a medial side and a lateral side,
wherein the medial and lateral sides are movable about the line of
flex to independently engage and disengage from a contact surface
as a dynamic force moves laterally across the interior surface, and
wherein a lateral side of the sole structure is less flexible than
a medial side of the sole structure; and plural lateral motion
inhibiting traction elements extending from the exterior surface in
the forefoot portion of the lateral side of the outsole member,
each lateral motion inhibiting traction element including a
substantially perpendicular wall facing the lateral side and a
sloped wall extending from the wall toward the exterior
surface.
12. A sole structure according to claim 11, wherein the exterior
surface further includes a second recessed segment extending toward
the interior surface and in a lateral direction in the forefoot
portion of the outsole member.
13. A sole structure according to claim 12, wherein the exterior
surface further includes a third recessed segment extending toward
the interior surface and in the lateral direction in the heel
portion of the outsole member.
14. A sole structure according to claim 12, wherein the exterior
surface further includes a third recessed segment extending toward
the interior surface and in the lateral direction in the forefoot
portion of the outsole member.
15. A sole structure according to claim 11, further comprising: an
impact-attenuating member engaged with the outsole member, wherein
the impact-attenuating member is located at least at the heel
portion of the outsole member.
16. A sole structure according to claim 15, wherein the
impact-attenuating member includes a gas-filled bladder.
17. A sole structure according to claim 16, wherein the gas-filled
bladder is contained, at least in part, in a first retaining
structure located along the lateral side of the sole structure and
a second retaining structure located along the medial side of the
sole structure, wherein the first retaining structure is less
flexible than the second retaining structure.
18. A sole structure according to claim 15, wherein the lateral
side of the sole structure is made less flexible than the medial
side of the sole structure, at least in part, by constructing at
least a portion of a lateral side of the impact-attenuating member
from a material that is less flexible than a material from which at
least a portion of a medial side of the impact-attenuating member
is constructed.
19. A sole structure according to claim 11, wherein the lateral
side of the sole structure is made less flexible than the medial
side of the sole structure, at least in part, by constructing at
least a portion of the lateral side of the outsole member from a
material that is less flexible than a material from which at least
a portion of the medial side of the outsole member is
constructed.
20. A sole structure according to claim 11, wherein the lateral
side of the sole structure is made less flexible than the medial
side of the sole structure, at least in part, by engaging an
auxiliary support element with the lateral side of the outsole
member.
21. A sole structure according to claim 11, wherein the outsole
member constitutes a golf shoe outsole.
22. An article of footwear, comprising: an upper member; and a sole
structure engaged with the upper member, wherein the sole structure
includes an outsole member having an exterior surface and an
interior surface, wherein the exterior surface includes: a first
recessed segment extending toward the interior surface and in a
longitudinal direction from a forefoot portion to a heel portion of
the outsole member, wherein the first recessed segment provides a
line of flex in the outsole member and divides the outsole member
into a medial side and a lateral side, wherein the medial and
lateral sides are movable about the line of flex to independently
engage and disengage from a contact surface as a dynamic force
moves laterally across the interior surface, plural lateral motion
inhibiting traction elements extending from the exterior surface in
the forefoot portion of the lateral side of the outsole member,
each lateral motion inhibiting traction element including a
substantially perpendicular wall facing the lateral side and a
sloped wall extending from the wall toward the exterior surface,
and plural medial motion inhibiting traction elements extending
from the exterior surface in the heel portion of the lateral side
of the outsole member, each medial motion inhibiting traction
element including a substantially perpendicular wall facing the
medial side and a sloped wall extending from the wall toward the
exterior surface.
23. An article of footwear according to claim 22, wherein the
outsole member further includes plural ground penetrating traction
elements extending from the exterior surface in the forefoot
portion of the medial side and plural ground penetrating traction
elements extending from the exterior surface in the heel portion of
the medial side.
24. An article of footwear according to claim 23, wherein at least
some of the ground penetrating traction elements have a height
dimension greater than their base length and base width
dimensions.
25. An article of footwear according to claim 22, wherein the
exterior surface further includes a second recessed segment
extending toward the interior surface and in a lateral direction in
the forefoot portion of the outsole member.
26. An article of footwear according to claim 25, wherein the
exterior surface further includes a third recessed segment
extending toward the interior surface and in the lateral direction
in the forefoot portion of the outsole member.
27. An article of footwear according to claim 22, further
comprising: a first material at least partially filling the first
recessed segment.
28. An article of footwear according to claim 27, wherein the first
material is softer than a material making up a major portion of the
outsole member.
29. An article of footwear according to claim 22, further
comprising: an impact-attenuating member engaged with the outsole
member, wherein the impact-attenuating member is located at least
at the heel portion of the outsole member.
30. An article of footwear according to claim 22, wherein at least
some of the lateral motion inhibiting traction elements have a
height dimension less than at least one of their base length or
base width dimensions.
31. An article of footwear according to claim 22, wherein at least
some of the medial motion inhibiting traction elements have a
height dimension less than at least one of their base length or
base width dimensions.
32. An article of footwear according to claim 22, wherein the
article of footwear constitutes a golf shoe.
33. An article of footwear, comprising: an upper member; and a sole
structure engaged with the upper member, wherein the sole structure
includes an outsole member having an exterior surface and an
interior surface, wherein the exterior surface includes a first
recessed segment extending toward the interior surface and in a
longitudinal direction from a forefoot portion to a heel portion of
the outsole member, wherein the first recessed segment provides a
line of flex in the outsole member and divides the outsole member
into a medial side and a lateral side, wherein the medial and
lateral sides are movable about the line of flex to independently
engage and disengage from a contact surface as a dynamic force
moves laterally across the interior surface, and wherein a lateral
side of the sole structure is less flexible than a medial side of
the sole structure; and plural lateral motion inhibiting traction
elements extending from the exterior surface in the forefoot
portion of the lateral side of the outsole member, each lateral
motion inhibiting traction element including a substantially
perpendicular wall facing the lateral side and a sloped wall
extending from the wall toward the exterior surface.
34. An article of footwear according to claim 33, wherein the
exterior surface further includes a second recessed segment
extending toward the interior surface and in a lateral direction in
the forefoot portion of the outsole member.
35. An article of footwear according to claim 34, wherein the
exterior surface further includes a third recessed segment
extending toward the interior surface and in the lateral direction
in the forefoot portion of the outsole member.
36. An article of footwear according to claim 33, further
comprising: an impact-attenuating member engaged with the outsole
member and located at least at the heel portion of the outsole
member.
37. An article of footwear according to claim 36, wherein the
impact-attenuating member includes a gas-filled bladder.
38. An article of footwear according to claim 37, wherein the
gas-filled bladder is contained, at least in part, in a first
retaining structure located along the lateral side of the sole
structure and a second retaining structure located along the medial
side of the sole structure, wherein the first retaining structure
is less flexible than the second retaining structure.
39. An article of footwear according to claim 36, wherein the
lateral side of the sole structure is made less flexible than the
medial side of the sole structure, at least in part, by
constructing at least a portion of a lateral side of the
impact-attenuating member from a material that is less flexible
than a material from which at least a portion of a medial side of
the impact-attenuating member is constructed.
40. An article of footwear according to claim 33, wherein the
lateral side of the sole structure is made less flexible than the
medial side of the sole structure, at least in part, by
constructing at least a portion of the lateral side of the outsole
member from a material that is less flexible than a material from
which at least a portion of the medial side of the outsole member
is constructed.
41. An article of footwear according to claim 33, wherein the
lateral side of the sole structure is made less flexible than the
medial side of the sole structure, at least in part, by engaging an
auxiliary support element with the lateral side of the outsole
member.
42. An article of footwear according to claim 33, wherein the
article of footwear constitutes a golf shoe.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to flexible and/or laterally
stable support structures useful in articles of footwear and other
foot-receiving device products.
BACKGROUND
Conventional articles of footwear, including athletic footwear,
have included two primary elements, namely an upper member and a
sole structure. The upper member provides a covering for the foot
that securely receives and positions the foot with respect to the
sole structure. In addition, the upper member may have a
configuration that protects the foot and provides ventilation,
thereby cooling the foot and removing perspiration. The sole
structure generally is secured to a lower portion of the upper
member and generally is positioned between the foot and a contact
surface (which may include any foot or footwear contact surface,
including but not limited to: ground, grass, dirt, sand, snow, ice,
tile, flooring, carpeting, synthetic grass, artificial turf, and
the like). In addition to attenuating contact surface reaction
forces, the sole structure may provide traction and help control
foot motion, such as pronation. Accordingly, the upper member and
the sole structure operate cooperatively to provide a comfortable
structure that is suited for a variety of ambulatory activities,
such as walling and running.
The sole structure of athletic footwear, in at least some
instances, will exhibit a layered configuration that includes a
comfort-enhancing insole, a resilient midsole (e.g., formed, at
least in part, from a polymer foam material), and a contact
surface-contacting outsole that provides both abrasion-resistance
and traction. The midsole, in at least some instances, will be the
primary sole structure element that attenuates contact surface
reaction forces and controls foot motion. Suitable polymer foam
materials for at least portions of the midsole include
ethylvinylacetate ("EVA") or polyurethane ("PU") that compress
resiliently under an applied load to attenuate contact surface
reaction forces. Conventional polymer foam materials are
resiliently compressible, in part, due to the inclusion of a
plurality of open or closed cells that define an inner volume
substantially displaced by gas.
SUMMARY
The following presents a general summary of aspects of this
invention in order to provide a basic understanding of at least
some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive
overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key or
critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the
invention. The following summary merely presents some concepts
relating to the invention in a general form as a prelude to the
more detailed description provided below.
Aspects of this invention relate to foot support elements and
products in which they are used (such as support structures for
footwear or other foot-receiving device products, and the like).
Foot-supporting members (e.g., sole structures and/or portions
thereof) for foot-receiving device products (e.g., articles of
footwear, including athletic footwear) in accordance with at least
some examples of this invention may include a contact
surface-contacting member (e.g., an outsole structure) having a
first major (exterior) surface and a second major (interior)
surface. The first major surface in accordance with at least some
examples of this invention may include: (a) a first recessed
segment extending toward the second major surface and in a
longitudinal direction from a forefoot portion to a heel portion of
the contact surface-contacting member to thereby divide the
contact-surface contacting member into a lateral side and a medial
side, (b) plural lateral motion inhibiting traction elements
extending from the first major surface in the forefoot portion of
the lateral side of the contact surface-contacting member, and (c)
plural medial motion inhibiting traction elements extending from
the first major surface in the heel portion of the lateral side of
the contact surface-contacting member. The first recessed segment
may provide a line of flex in the contact surface-contacting
member, wherein the medial and lateral sides are movable about the
line of flex to independently engage and disengage from a contact
surface as a dynamic force moves laterally across the second major
surface. Also, if desired, recessed segment(s) and/or line(s) of
flex may be provided in the support member generally running in the
lateral direction. Additionally or alternatively, in accordance
with at least some examples of this invention, the lateral side of
the foot-supporting member may be made less flexible and/or more
stable than its medial side.
Support structures of the types described above can be
advantageous, at least in some examples of the invention, by
providing stable support during a twisting or rotational action and
by allowing a wearer's foot to maintain a relatively large contact
area with the contact surface as the wearer's weight shifts and/or
the wearer's foot moves. For example, during a golf swing or other
swinging actions and/or during a step, a wearer's weight tends to
shift, e.g., moving from the medial side to the lateral side,
moving from the lateral side to the medial side, moving from the
front to back, and/or moving from the back to front. Support
structures of the types described above can allow independent
movement of the lateral and medial sides of the contact
surface-contact member (e.g., independent movement or rotation
about the line of flex) and/or stable support during torsional
rotation around the leg or foot, to thereby allow more of the
contact surface-contacting member to remain in contact with the
ground and to provide a solid base or support for the swing, step,
or other movement or activity.
Still additional aspects of this invention relate to foot-receiving
device products, such as articles of footwear, that include
foot-supporting members, e.g., of the various types described
above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A more complete understanding of the present invention and certain
advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following
detailed description in consideration with the accompanying
drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features,
and wherein:
FIG. 1A illustrates a bottom (exterior) plan view of a sole
structure according to at least some examples of this
invention;
FIG. 1B illustrates a medial side view of a sole structure
according to at least some examples of this invention;
FIG. 1C illustrates a lateral side view of a sole structure
according to at least some examples of this invention;
FIG. 1D illustrates a top (interior) plan view of a sole structure
according to at least some examples of this invention;
FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a bottom (exterior) plan view and a
lateral side view, respectively, of another sole structure
according to some examples of this invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates a bottom (exterior) plan view of another sole
structure according to some examples of this invention;
FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom (exterior) plan view of another sole
structure according to some examples of this invention;
FIG. 5 illustrates a partial side view of an example article of
footwear including a sole structure according to at least some
examples of this invention;
FIG. 5A illustrates a top plan view of an example innersole board
structure that may be included in an article of footwear according
to at least some examples of this invention; and
FIG. 5B illustrates a top plan view of an example midsole structure
that may be included in an article of footwear according to at
least some examples of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following description of various examples of the invention,
reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part
hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration various
example structures and environments in which aspects of the
invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other
specific arrangements of parts, example structures, and
environments may be utilized and structural and functional
modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the
present invention.
Also, while the terms "top," "bottom," "side," "front," "back,"
"above," "below," "under," "over," and the like may be used in this
specification to describe various example features and elements of
structures according to the invention, these terms are used herein
as a matter of convenience, e.g., based on the example orientations
shown in the figures and/or a typical orientation during use.
Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a
specific three dimensional orientation of structures in order to
fall within the scope of this invention.
To assist the reader, this specification is broken into various
subsections, as follows:
Terms; General Background Information Relating to the Invention;
General Description of Foot Support Structures and Associated
Products According to the Invention; Specific Examples of the
Invention; and Conclusion.
A. Terms
The following terms are used in this specification, and unless
otherwise noted or clear from the context, these terms have the
meanings provided below.
"Foot-receiving device" means any device into which a user places
at least some portion of his or her foot. In addition to all types
of footwear (described below), foot-receiving devices include, but
are not limited to: bindings and other devices for securing feet in
snow skis, cross country skis, water skis, snowboards, and the
like; bindings, clips, or other devices for securing feet in pedals
for use with bicycles, exercise equipment, and the like; bindings,
clips, or other devices for receiving feet during play of video
games or other games; and the like.
"Footwear" means any type of product worn on the feet, and this
term includes, but is not limited to: all types of shoes, boots,
sneakers, sandals, thongs, flip-flops, mules, scuffs, slippers,
sport-specific shoes (such as golf shoes, tennis shoes, baseball
cleats, soccer or football cleats, ski boots, etc.), and the like.
"Footwear" may protect the feet from the environment and/or enhance
a wearer's performance (e.g., physically, physiologically,
medically, etc.).
"Foot-covering members" include one or more portions of a
foot-receiving device that extend at least partially over and/or at
least partially cover at least some portion of the wearer's foot,
e.g., so as to assist in holding the foot-receiving device on
and/or in place with respect to the wearer's foot. "Foot-covering
members" include, but are not limited to, upper members of the type
provided in some conventional footwear products.
"Foot-supporting members" include one or more portions of a
foot-receiving device that extend at least partially beneath at
least some portion of the wearer's foot, e.g., so as to assist in
supporting the foot and/or attenuating the reaction forces to which
the wearer's foot would be exposed, for example, when stepping down
in the foot-receiving device. "Foot-supporting members" include,
but are not limited to, sole members of the type provided in some
conventional footwear products. Such sole members may include
conventional outsole, midsole, and/or insole members.
"Contact surface-contacting elements" or "members" include at least
some portions of a foot-receiving device structure that contact the
ground or any other surface in use, and/or at least some portions
of a foot-receiving device structure that engage another element or
structure in use. Such "contact surface-contacting elements" may
include, for example, but are not limited to, outsole elements
provided in some conventional footwear products. "Contact
surface-contacting elements" in at least some example structures
may be made of suitable and conventional materials to provide long
wear, traction, and protect the foot and/or to prevent the
remainder of the foot-receiving device structure from wear effects,
e.g., when contacting the ground or other surface in use.
B. General Background Information Relating to the Invention
During a golf swing (or other swinging activities), a player's
weight tends to shift as the club or other object is swung. For
example, during a typical golf swing, several weight shifts and
center of gravity position changes occur. More specifically, at the
ball address position of the golf swing (prior to initiation of the
swing), the golfer's weight tends to be relatively centered on the
balls of his/her feet, perhaps with the weight or center of gravity
located slightly more toward the front foot than the rear foot. As
the golf swing begins, the golfer takes the club back (during the
backswing), which tends to move weight away from the front foot and
predominantly toward the rear foot. In many instances, at the top
of the backswing, the majority of the golfer's weight will be
located on the lateral (outside) of the rear forefoot portion
and/or on the heel portion of the rear foot (optionally, at least
in some instances, the weight may be somewhat on the medial
(inside) of the rear foot heel).
As the swing transitions from backswing to downswing, a rotational
or torsional force may be applied to the rear foot (e.g., rotation
about an axis extending through the leg or foot) as the player
pushes off with the rear foot and leg and the player's weight
shifts toward his/her front foot. By the impact position (when the
club head again reaches the ball), the player's weight typically
has almost completely shifted to his/her front foot (and
particularly to the lateral side of the front foot), both at the
heel portion of the front foot and the forefoot portion of the
front foot (e.g., with a significant amount of weight applied
approximately at the fifth metatarsophalangeal area of the front
foot). Little weight may be present on the rear foot at this impact
position, and in fact, in many instances for many players, at least
the heel of the rear foot may have begun to lift from the ground,
thereby placing whatever weight is present on the rear foot toward
the toe or forefoot portion of that foot. Finally, when the club
reaches the swing follow-through position (e.g., over the player's
front shoulder), the weight may remain completely or at least
predominantly on the front foot, particularly along the lateral
heel and/or arch areas, and the rear foot may be oriented
essentially vertically with only the front toe portion in contact
with the ground. Some golfers actually may be able to freely lift
up the rear foot without losing balance when in the final
follow-through position.
Because of the weight shift and/or center of gravity location
change features of the typical golf swing, golf shoes typically
have included spikes, cleats, or other types of traction elements,
in an effort to provide traction and support for the player during
a swing. While helpful, such traction elements can be of limited
value, particularly as the player's foot begins to lose contact
with the ground (e.g., as the player pushes against the rear foot
during the beginning of the downswing, as the player rolls forward
on the front foot immediately before, during, and after contact
with the ball, during the follow through, etc.). In other words,
spikes, cleats, or other traction elements cannot help provide
traction or support when they are not in contact with the
ground.
At least some aspects of the present invention help improve
traction and provide a stable and solid support for wearers during
swings, steps, and/or other weight shifting activities.
C. General Description of Foot Support Structures and Associated
Products According to the Invention
1. Foot Support Structures Including Features According to the
Invention
In general, aspects of this invention relate to foot support
elements and products in which they are used (such as support
structures for footwear or other foot-receiving device products).
Foot-supporting members (e.g., sole structures and/or portions
thereof) for foot-receiving device products (e.g., articles of
footwear, including athletic footwear) in accordance with at least
some examples of this invention may include a contact
surface-contacting member (e.g., an outsole structure) having a
first major (exterior) surface and a second major (interior)
surface. The first major surface in accordance with at least some
examples of this invention may include: (a) a first recessed
segment extending toward the second major surface and in a
longitudinal direction from a forefoot portion to a heel portion of
the contact surface-contacting member to thereby divide the
contact-surface contacting member into a lateral side and a medial
side, (b) plural lateral motion inhibiting traction elements
extending from the first major surface in the forefoot portion of
the lateral side of the contact surface-contacting member, and (c)
plural medial motion inhibiting traction elements extending from
the first major surface in the heel portion of the lateral side of
the contact surface-contacting member. The first recessed segment
may provide a line of flex in the contact surface-contacting
member, wherein the medial and lateral sides are movable about the
line of flex to independently engage and disengage from a contact
surface as a dynamic force moves laterally across the second major
surface (e.g., as a user shifts his/her weight while wearing an
article of footwear including such a support structure).
Additionally, foot-supporting members (e.g., sole structures and/or
portions thereof) for foot-receiving device products (e.g.,
articles of footwear, including athletic footwear) in accordance
with at least some examples of this invention may provide a lateral
side that is made less flexible and/or more stable than its medial
side. Foot-supporting members of this type further may include a
contact surface-contacting member (e.g., an outsole structure)
having a first major (exterior) surface and a second major
(interior) surface, wherein the first major surface includes a
first recessed segment extending toward the second major surface
and in a longitudinal direction from a forefoot portion to a heel
portion of the contact surface-contacting member. Again, this first
recessed segment may provide a line of flex in the contact
surface-contacting member, wherein the medial and lateral sides of
the contact surface-contacting member are movable about the line of
flex to independently engage and disengage from a contact surface
as a dynamic force moves laterally across the second major surface
(e.g., as a wearer's weight shifts).
The lateral side of the foot-supporting member may be made less
flexible and/or more stable than its medial side in many different
ways without departing from this invention. For example, in
foot-supporting member structures in which one or more
impact-attenuating members or structures are provided and engaged
with the contact-surface contacting member (such as a midsole
member, a heel-cage unit, a heel unit including a gas-filled
bladder, etc.), one or more of the impact-attenuating members may
be less flexible and/or more stable on the lateral side as compared
to its medial side (e.g., by providing additional support
structures on the lateral side; by providing a more reinforced heel
unit cage or gas-bladder retaining structure on the lateral side;
by providing openings or discontinuities in a foam, cage, retaining
structure, or other support material on the medial side; by
altering a density or stiffness of a foam or other
impact-attenuating material on the lateral side as compared to the
medial side, etc.). Other example ways of making the
foot-supporting member less flexible and/or more stable on the
lateral side as compared to its medial side include: constructing
at least a portion of the lateral side of the contact
surface-contacting member from a material that is more stable
and/or less flexible than a material from which at least a portion
of the medial side of the contact surface-contacting member is
constructed; engaging an auxiliary support element with the lateral
side of the contact surface-contacting member; providing openings
or discontinuities in the medial side of the contact
surface-contacting member; etc. The lateral side area of increased
stability and/or decreased flexibility and/or the medial side area
of decreased stability and/or increased flexibility may be located
in one or more of: the rear heel region, the side heel region, the
arch region, the forefoot region, and/or the toe region.
Foot-supporting members according to at least some examples of this
invention may include additional features or structures. For
example, the contact surface-contacting member of the various
foot-supporting members described above further may include plural
ground penetrating traction elements, e.g., extending from the
first major surface in the forefoot and/or heel portions of the
medial and/or lateral sides of the contact surface-contacting
member. The contact surface-contacting member further may include
one or more additional recessed segments, e.g., in its forefoot or
heel portions, extending in the lateral or longitudinal directions,
e.g., at locations corresponding to natural foot flexibility, etc.,
to provide additional flexibility and lines of flex. If desired,
some, some portions of, or all of the various recessed segments may
be at least partially filled with another material, e.g., a
material softer than a material making up a major portion of the
contact surface-contacting member, to further promote the
flexibility characteristics of the contact surface-contacting
member's structure while preventing wearer feel of ground elements
through the recessed segments, puncture of the sole structure at
the recessed segments, etc.
Additionally, foot-supporting members (e.g., sole structures)
according to at least some examples of this invention may include
one or more impact-attenuating members (e.g., midsole structures),
an innersole board structure, an insole member, a heel counter, an
inflated bladder, a sock liner, traction elements, etc., engaged
with the contact-surface contacting member. Such additional
elements, such as the impact-attenuating members and/or the
innersole board members, may include a first major surface at least
partially engaged with the second major surface of the contact
surface-contacting member, and a second major surface opposite its
first major surface. If desired, at least the second major surface
of the impact-attenuating member and/or the innersole board or
other members may include one or more lines of flex, e.g.,
corresponding to at least some of the locations of the various
recessed segments provided in the contact surface-contacting
member. Moreover, if desired, a given support structure may include
multiple impact-attenuating members or other structures (e.g., both
a midsole and an innersole board), and if further desired, any or
all of these individual members may include lines of flex, e.g.,
corresponding to the locations of at least some of the recessed
segments.
Flexible support structures of the types described above can be
advantageous, at least in some examples of the invention, by
allowing a wearer's foot to maintain a relatively large contact
area with the contact surface as the wearer's weight shifts and/or
as the wearer's foot moves. For example, during a golf swing (or
other swinging activities), weight tends to shift, e.g., the
wearer's center of gravity moves from the center or medial side to
the lateral side and/or moves from the lateral side to the medial
side. The flexible support structures of the types described above
can allow independent movement of the lateral and/or medial sides
of the contact surface-contacting member (e.g., independent
movement or rotation with respect to one another about the lines of
flex) in at least some structures to thereby allow more of the
contact surface-contacting member to remain in contact with the
ground (e.g., as compared to support structures that do not include
such flexibility and independently and relatively movable regions).
Moreover, the increased lateral stability and/or decreased lateral
flexibility as compared to the medial side's stability and/or
flexibility characteristics provide excellent support and/or
comfort during various swinging, twisting, or moving actions, such
as actions involved in golf swings, baseball or softball swings,
field hockey swings, lacrosse, walking, running, etc.
The various structural features of the support structures and the
various aspects of the invention described above may be used in any
desired combinations, permutations, and sub-combinations without
departing from the invention. 2. Foot-Receiving Device Products
Including Support Structures According to the Invention
Additional aspects of this invention relate to foot-receiving
device products, such as articles of footwear, that include
foot-supporting members, e.g., sole structures, of the various
types described above. In some examples according to the invention,
the foot-receiving device products may include: (a) a foot-covering
member (e.g., an upper member); and (b) a foot-supporting member
engaged with the foot-covering member.
Foot-supporting members in accordance with this aspect of the
invention may include any or all of the following features and/or
characteristics: one or more recessed segments (e.g., to provide
any desired flexibility characteristics, e.g., of the various types
described above); forefoot-located lateral motion inhibiting
traction elements and/or heel-located medial motion inhibiting
traction elements (e.g., to provide support for performing twisting
and/or swinging actions as described above); increased lateral
stability and/or decreased lateral flexibility as compared to the
medial side's stability and/or flexibility; and/or any or all of
the various features and/or structures described above.
Specific examples and structures according to the invention are
described in more detail below. The reader should understand that
these specific examples and structures are set forth merely to
illustrate the invention, and they should not be construed as
limiting the invention.
D. Specific Examples of the Invention
The various figures in this application illustrate examples of foot
support members and their arrangement in foot-receiving device
products according to some examples of this invention. When the
same reference number appears in more than one drawing, that
reference number is used consistently in this specification and the
drawings to refer to the same or similar parts throughout.
FIGS. 1A through 1D illustrate various views of an example sole
structure 100 (e.g., including an outsole member) according to at
least some examples of this invention. The sole structure 100 of
this illustrated example includes a first major surface forming an
exterior, ground (or other surface) contacting member 102 and an
interior major surface 104 opposite the ground-contacting member
surface 102. The ground-contacting member surface 102 includes a
base level 106, which, in this illustrated example, forms a
generally continuous base for various features of the sole
structure 100, which will be described in more detail below. The
base level 106 may be relatively flat, smoothly sloped or curved
(e.g., to include various conventional shoe features, like a
forefoot region, an arch region, a heel region, a toe region,
etc.), or otherwise shaped, without departing from this invention.
The base level 106 (as well as the remainder of the sole structure
100) may be made of any desired materials without departing from
this invention, including, for example, leather, synthetic rubbers,
polymers (e.g., thermoplastic polyurethanes), and the like. The
base level 106 also may be constructed from multiple independent
and/or unconnected pieces and/or it may correspond to only a
portion of the overall sole structure 100 (e.g., only the forefoot
portion, excluding the toe portion, excluding the rear heel
portion, etc.) without departing from this invention.
The base level 106 of this illustrated example includes at least
one generally longitudinally arranged recessed segment 108 defined
therein that extends from the forefoot portion (e.g., at or near
the toe area of the sole structure 100) to the rearfoot portion
(e.g., at or near the rear heel area of the sole structure 100).
The base level 106 of this example further includes a plurality of
generally laterally arranged recessed segments (e.g., segments 110a
and 110b, generally and generically referred to as segments 110)
defined therein. The recessed segments 108 and 110 may be provided
in the sole structure 100 in any desired manner, such as during a
sole member molding process, by a cutting action (e.g., using
knives, lasers, etc.), and/or in any other manner, including in
conventional manners known and used in the art. The recessed
segments 108 and 110 in this illustrated example structure 100
provide lines of flex in the sole structure 100 and divide the sole
structure 100 into various regions, such as a lateral side and a
medial side. Additionally, in this example structure 100, as
illustrated in FIGS. 1A through 1C, the recessed segments 108 and
110 provide thinned areas of the sole structure 100 such that at
least some of the various regions (e.g., the medial side, the
lateral side, the forefoot region(s), etc.) are movable or
rotatable about the lines of flex 108 and 110 with respect to one
another to allow the various regions to independently engage and
disengage from a contact surface as a dynamic force moves laterally
or longitudinally across the interior surface 104.
For example, during a golf swing (or other swinging action), as
described above, a golfer may shift his or her weight laterally
from the central area of the foot toward a lateral or medial side
of the foot, and from there back toward the center and possibly
past center and toward the other side. As the weight shifts, the
sole of a wearer's shoe may tend to lose contact with the ground at
various times, particularly when the wearer wears a shoe having a
conventional, relatively stiff or inflexible sole structure. By
providing at least one line of flex and longitudinal recessed
segment 108, the sole structure 100 can flex with the wearer's foot
in the interior of the shoe about the line of flex defined by the
recessed segment 108 and thereby maintain a larger percentage of
the sole structure 100 in contact with the ground or other contact
surface for a longer time period during the course of the swing,
step, or other activity. Additionally, during a golf swing (or
while walking or during other activities), a wearer may shift his
or her weight from the central area of the foot toward a front or
rear of the foot, and from there back toward the center and
possibly past center and toward the opposite end. As the weight
shifts, the sole of a wearer's shoe may tend to lose contact with
the ground, particularly when the wearer wears a shoe having a
conventional, relatively stiff or inflexible outsole structure. By
providing one or more lines of flex and the lateral recessed
segments 110, the sole structure 100 can flex with the wearer's
foot in the interior of the shoe about the lines of flex defined by
the recessed segments 110 and thereby maintain a larger percentage
of the sole structure 100 in contact with the ground or other
contact surface for a longer time period during the course of the
swing, step, or other activity.
While referred to as extending in the "longitudinal direction", the
recessed segment(s) 108 need not extend exclusively in a direction
of a longitudinal center line of the sole structure 100. Rather, as
shown in FIG. 1A, the term "longitudinal direction", as used herein
in this context, means that the recessed segment(s) 108 and the
corresponding line(s) of flex defined thereby extend predominantly
in the longitudinal direction (e.g., generally from the shoe's
front toward its back), optionally in a curved manner (e.g., to
correspond to the location(s) of a typical foot's lines of flex
and/or flexibility in the longitudinal direction). Additionally, no
individual longitudinal recessed segment 108 or line of flex need
extend completely from the sole structure 100 front to its back.
They may extend any desired distances. When multiple longitudinally
extending recessed segments are present (e.g., segments 108 and
108a), the various segments need not be parallel to one another and
they need not extend in precisely the same directions, in the same
arch or curvature, or at the same dimensions (e.g., to the same
depth in the base level, at the same width or length, etc.), as
shown for example in FIG. 1A.
Similarly, while referred to as extending in the "lateral
direction", the recessed segment(s) 110 need not extend exclusively
in a direction laterally across the sole structure 100. Rather, as
shown in the figures, the term "lateral direction", as used herein
in this context, means that the recessed segment(s) 110 and the
corresponding line(s) of flex defined thereby extend predominantly
in the lateral direction (e.g., generally from the shoe's lateral
side toward its medial side), optionally in a curved manner (e.g.,
to correspond to a typical foot's lines of flex and/or flexibility
in the lateral direction). Additionally, if desired, it is not
necessary for individual lateral recessed segments 110 or lines of
flex to extend completely across the sole structure 100. They may
extend any desired distances. When multiple laterally extending
recessed segments 110 are present (e.g., segments 110a and 110b,
additional recessed segments in the heel and forefoot portions,
etc.), the various segments need not be parallel to one another and
they need not extend in precisely the same directions, in the same
curvature, or at the same dimensions (e.g., to the same depth in
the base level 106, at the same width or length, etc.). Optionally,
if desired, the lines of flex in the sole structure 100 may
correspond to typical areas of flex or joints in a wearer's foot.
Also, if desired, lines of flex may be provided in the heel area in
at least some example sole structures 100.
The recessed segments 108 and 110 may be any desired size (e.g.,
length, width, and/or depth) without departing from the invention.
As some more specific examples, if desired, the recessed segments
may be about 1 mm to 15 mm wide and 1 mm to 10 mm deep. In some
more specific examples, the recessed segments may be about 1-5 mm
wide and 1-5 mm deep. Optionally, in at least some examples, the
recessed segments 108 and/or 110 may be of sufficient depth to
leave a thickness of 0.25-8 mm, and in some instances 1-5 mm, of
base material at the bottom of the recessed segment 108 and/or 110.
Of course, not all of the recessed segments in a given shoe need
have the same dimensional characteristics. Additionally, the
dimensions of the recessed segment(s) 108 and/or 110 may vary along
the overall length, width, and/or depth of an individual
segment.
If desired, some or all of the recessed segments 108 and/or 110,
particularly any very deep recessed segments and/or recessed
segments with a very thin layer of material (or even no material)
remaining in its bottom, may be at least partially filled with
another material 112 (e.g., to help prevent undesired penetration
of the sole structure 100 at areas having reduced or thinned
amounts of base material, to reduce wearer feel of external
elements at these areas having reduced amounts of base material,
etc.). The material 112 may be somewhat softer than the material
making up the base layer 106. Additionally, if desired, the fill
material 112 may only partially fill the recessed segments 108
and/or 110, e.g., leaving a small gap at the sides of each recessed
segment 108 and 110 (e.g., the fill material 112 may be centered or
otherwise positioned within the recessed segments 108 and/or 110 to
leave a gap along each side) and/or a recess or slight step down in
the depth direction. This gap can be useful, in at least some
structures, to allow the desired flexibility characteristics
identified above while still leaving the recessed segments 108
and/or 110 substantially filled to prevent the undesired
penetration and feel-through characteristics also identified above.
Any desired gap size (including no gap) and/or thickness of fill
material 112 may be provided without departing from this invention.
The fill material 112 may be provided in the recessed segments 108
and/or 110 in any desired manner without departing from the
invention, such as by molding, by cements or adhesives, etc.,
including in conventional manners known and used in the art. As
another example, if desired, the appearance of a "fill material"
may be provided by simply cutting relatively narrow lines into the
base layer 106, e.g., along two substantially parallel lines, to
form two narrow channels and a thicker middle portion (i.e., either
of the two channels form the "recessed segment" and the "fill
material" is integrally formed with the base layer 106 as a one
piece unit in between the channels).
As noted above, the fill material 112, when present, may be
somewhat softer than the material making up the base layer 106. In
this manner, the sole structure 100 remains more flexible than
would be the case if the recessed segments 108 and/or 110 and fill
material 112 were omitted (e.g., if a continuous, un-recessed sole
structure 100 were present). Of course, any desired types of
materials may be used for these structures, including rubber or
polymeric materials (such as thermoplastic polyurethanes),
including materials that are known and conventionally used in the
art. As some more specific examples, the base layer 106 material
may be constructed from a rubber material, e.g., having a hardness
of 60 to 75 Shore A (and in some examples, 64 to 70 Shore A), and
the fill material 112 may have about the same level of hardness, or
perhaps a bit softer (optionally made from rubber or a
thermoplastic polyurethane material). As additional potential
examples, if desired, the fill material 112 may be a thermoplastic
polyurethane ("TPU") material having a hardness in the range of 64
to 80 Shore A (e.g., in some examples, approximately 70 to 78 Shore
A or even about 75 Shore A), while the base layer 106 also may be a
TPU material having a higher hardness than the fill material 112,
for example, in the range of 70 to 90 Shore A (e.g., in some
examples, in the range of 75 to 88 Shore A or even 80 to 85 Shore
A). Moreover, the entire base layer 106 need not have the same
hardness. For example, if desired, the medial side (e.g., medial of
the longitudinal line of flex) may be made of a harder material
than the lateral side (e.g., lateral of the longitudinal line of
flex) or vice versa (e.g., 75-85 Shore A or more specifically about
80 Shore A hardness for the lateral side v. 80-90 Shore A or more
specifically about 85 Shore A hardness for the medial side). Of
course, a wide variety of other materials, hardnesses, combinations
of materials, and/or combinations of hardnesses may be used without
departing from the invention. As another example, if desired, the
fill material 112 may be made softer and/or more flexible than the
base layer 106 by providing cuts, gaps, channels, voids, or
discontinuities in the fill material 112.
The lines of flex and/or recessed segments 108 and/or 110 need not
be located in the specific positions shown in FIGS. 1A through 1D
in all examples of the invention. Rather, if desired, one or more
lines of flex and/or recessed segments 108 and/or 110 may be
provided in any one or more of the heel area, the arch area, and/or
the forefoot areas without departing from the invention.
FIG. 1D shows a plan view of the interior surface 104 of the sole
structure 100 according to this example. As shown, the interior
surface 104 includes lines of flex 114 formed therein corresponding
to the locations of the recessed segments 108 and 110 on the
opposite forefoot surface 102 of the sole structure. These interior
lines of flex 114 can help further promote the desired flexibility
characteristics of the overall sole structure 100, as described
above.
FIGS. 1A through 1D illustrate other structural features of sole
structures that may be present in at least some examples of this
invention. For example, these figures illustrate that this example
sole structure 100 includes an impact-attenuating heel unit 120
that provides additional impact-attenuation characteristics for at
least the heel area of the shoe. By providing a separate
impact-attenuating heel unit 120 in this example, the outsole
portion of the sole structure 100 may be maintained relatively thin
(e.g., 1 to 20 mm at the base layer 106 (in some examples 1.5 to 5
mm or even 2-3 mm) and 0.25 to 8 mm at the recessed portions 108
and 110 (in some examples 0.25 to 2 mm or even 0.5 to 1.5 mm)), to
help preserve flexibility, while still providing adequate
impact-attenuation for a comfortable walk or other activities.
While any desired type of impact-attenuating heel unit 120 may be
provided without departing from this invention, in this illustrated
example structure 100, the heel unit 120 includes a gas-filled
bladder element 122 at least partially held by or enclosed in an
impact-attenuating polymeric material 124, such as a polyurethane
or ethylvinylacetate material. Also, while any desired size or
thickness of heel unit 120 may be provided, in this illustrated
example, the overall heel unit 120 is approximately 15 mm thick at
its central, heel supporting location. Gas-filled bladders 122
and/or impact-attenuating materials 124 of this type are known and
used in conventional footwear products, such as in various AIR.RTM.
brand footwear products available from NIKE, Inc. of Beaverton,
Oreg. Alternatively, if desired, the impact-attenuating material
124 may extend to cover a major portion of the interior surface 104
of the ground-contacting member (e.g., and function as a midsole
member or other impact-attenuating and/or support structure for the
sole structure 100, if desired).
Of course, if desired, other types of heel units, midsole elements,
or impact-attenuating elements or structures may be provided
without departing from the invention, such as conventional foam or
other impact-attenuating materials, columnar shock absorbing type
elements (such as those commercially available in various SHOX.RTM.
brand footwear products available from NIKE, Inc. of Beaverton,
Oreg.), and the like. Also, if desired, the gas-filled bladder 122,
shock absorbing element, or other impact-attenuating elements, when
present, may be hidden within another material (such as in
impact-attenuating material 124), partially hidden in such a
material, or open and exposed to the external environment, without
departing from this invention.
FIGS. 1B and 1C illustrate another feature that may be available in
sole structures 100 (or other foot-supporting member products)
according to at least some examples of this invention. More
specifically, as shown in these figures, the heel unit 120 provides
more support and/or is less flexible at its lateral side than at
its medial side. Even more specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1B and
1C, in this illustrated example sole structure 100, the heel unit
120 includes a cage-like retaining structure 126 along the medial
side (FIG. 1B) and a cage-like retaining structure 128 along the
lateral side (FIG. 1C). To better support and match a golf swing
(or other swinging actions), in this example sole structure 100,
the cage-like retaining structures 126 and 128 are formed such that
the lateral side provides more support and/or is less flexible than
the medial side. This is accomplished in the illustrated structure
100 by providing more retaining structures 128 on the lateral side
than on the medial side, and by forming the lateral side retaining
structures 128 in more of a supporting truss-like structure (e.g.,
in the illustrated example, the medial retaining structures 126 are
all essentially parallel to one another and spaced apart while the
lateral retaining structures 128 join one another or intersect and
extend in different directions, e.g., to form a triangular
appearing structure). Of course, a wide variety of different
retaining structure designs may be used to make the lateral side
more stable and/or less flexible than the medial side.
Of course, other ways of making the lateral side more stable and/or
less flexible than the medial side may be provided without
departing from this invention. For example, the gas-filled bladder
122 may be designed to include support elements (e.g., plastic
support elements, cross-sectional or diagonal supports, etc.) on
the lateral side and/or to otherwise provide a more stable and/or
less flexible lateral side; the gas-filled bladder 122 may be
designed to include discontinuities, grooves, channels, or other
flexible or weakening portions on the medial side as compared to
the lateral side; the impact-attenuating material 124 may be made
more stable on the lateral side than the medial side (e.g., by
providing stiffer impact-attenuating material on the lateral side;
by providing additional auxiliary support structures on the lateral
side (e.g., embedded in a foam or other impact-attenuating material
124; by providing discontinuities, grooves, channels, or other
weakening portions on the medial side; etc.); an additional support
member may be provided with the desired support and/or flexibility
characteristics (e.g., a plate between the gas-filled bladder 122
and the outsole or a midsole portion, an auxiliary support member
136 may be provided on the lateral side, an additional soft foam or
other material 138 may be provided on the medial side, etc.);
stiffer impact-attenuating elements (such as impact-attenuating
columns of the types available in various SHOX.RTM. brand footwear
products available from NIKE, Inc. of Beaverton, Oreg.) may be
provided on the lateral side as compared to the medial side; more
flexible impact-attenuating elements (such as impact-attenuating
columns of the types available in various SHOX.RTM. brand footwear
products available from NIKE, Inc. of Beaverton, Oreg.) may be
provided on the medial side as compared to the lateral side; a
midsole element or an inner sole board element that is, in some
manner, more flexible and/or less supportive on the medial side as
compared to the lateral side may be provided; etc.
Sole structures according to examples of the invention may have
additional structural features that enhance their ability to
provide traction, e.g., during twisting actions such as those used
in golf, baseball, or softball swings; during standing, swinging,
walking, running or other activities, particularly on uneven
terrain; etc. Of course, any desired types of traction elements may
be provided without departing from the invention, including
conventional traction elements as are known and used in the art.
Some more specific examples of various traction elements
follow.
Sole structures 100 according to at least some examples of the
invention may include traction elements specifically designed and
arranged to assist in the various swinging and other activities and
actions described above. In this illustrated example sole structure
100, the bottom surface 102 of the sole structure 100 includes
plural traction elements that assist in performing a variety of
different functions. For example, plural traction elements 130 in
the forefoot area, particularly in the lateral forefoot area in
this illustrated example, include a substantially perpendicular
wall 132 facing the lateral side direction and a sloped wall 134
extending back from the wall 132 toward the base level 106. In this
manner, the traction elements 130 provide a strong base and support
to inhibit or prevent movement of the forefoot portion of the foot
in the lateral direction (e.g., to provide a strong base and
support during a golf downswing) while allowing relatively easy
forefoot movement in the medial direction (e.g., to allow easy
movement of the foot again when disengaging from the ground, when
walking resumes, etc.).
The example sole structures 100 illustrated in FIGS. 1A through 1D
provide a different type or orientation of traction elements 140 in
the heel portion. More specifically, in this illustrated example
sole structure 100, the traction elements 140 in the heel area,
particularly in the lateral side of the heel area, include a
substantially perpendicular wall 142 facing the medial side
direction and a sloped wall 144 extending back from the wall 142
toward the base level 106. In this manner, the traction elements
140 provide a strong base and support to inhibit or prevent
movement of the heel portion of the foot in the medial direction
(e.g., to provide a strong base and support during a golf
downswing) while allowing relatively easy heel movement in the
lateral direction (e.g., to allow easy movement of the foot again
when disengaging from the ground, when walking resumes, etc.).
In the illustrated example sole structure 100, at least some of the
traction elements (e.g., elements 130 and 140) are designed such
that at least one of their base dimensions (e.g., length or width
along the base level 106) is greater than the traction element's
height dimension (e.g., the distance it extends away from the base
level 106). Such traction elements provide good support,
ground-penetration, and/or ground-engagement properties to resist
torque during a golf swing (e.g., during a downswing motion).
Still a different traction element 150 structure or orientation may
be provided in the rear heel area of the sole structure 100
illustrated in FIGS. 1A through 1D. As shown, in this example
structure 100, the heel area includes traction elements 150 having
a substantially perpendicular wall 152 facing the footwear front
with a sloped wall 154 extending back from the front wall 152. This
structure and orientation helps provide traction when walking,
standing, or swinging (or performing other activities) particularly
on a downhill or downward slope. Additionally, another traction
element 160 structure or orientation may be provided in the very
front toe area of the sole structure 100. As shown in this
illustrated example structure 100, the toe area includes traction
elements 160 having a substantially perpendicular wall 162 facing
the footwear rear with a sloped wall 164 extending forward from the
wall 162. This structure and orientation helps provide traction
when walking, standing, or swinging (or performing other
activities) particularly on an uphill or upward slope.
As noted above, any type or arrangement of traction elements may be
used without departing from the invention. Such traction elements
(e.g., elements 130, 140, 150, and/or 160) may be included as part
of the sole structure 100 in any desired manner without departing
from the invention, such as by integrally molding them into the
sole structure 100 along with other portions of the sole structure
100 (such as the base level 106), by attaching them to the sole
structure (e.g., to the base level 106 by adhesives, cements,
screws, clasps, retaining elements, other mechanical connectors,
etc.), etc. If desired, according to at least some examples of this
invention, traction elements of the types and/or in the
arrangements shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,817,117 and/or 6,705,027 may
be used without departing from this invention. Each of these U.S.
Patents is entirely incorporated herein by reference.
In this illustrated example sole structure 100, the medial side of
the sole structure 100 (medial with respect to the longitudinal
recessed segment 108) includes different types of traction elements
from those on the lateral side. More specifically, this illustrated
example sole structure 100 includes at least some traction elements
170 designed to easily penetrate the ground and provide traction
and support, e.g., during at least portions of the downswing action
or other portions of the swing. If desired, in at least some
examples, at least some of the traction elements 170 may be
designed such that their height dimension (e.g., the distance it
extends away from the base level 106) is greater than the base
dimensions (e.g., the length and width dimensions along the base
level 106). Further, if desired, at least one side wall of the
traction elements 170 (e.g., a wall extending away from the base
level 106) may be substantially planar and/or perpendicular to the
base level 106 and/or pointed in a desired direction, e.g., to help
provide the good ground penetration and/or at least some level of
torque resistance. For example, if desired, the traction elements
170 in the heel area may have a substantially planar and/or
perpendicular wall facing the medial side of the shoe (e.g.,
similar to the direction(s) walls 142 face) and/or the traction
elements 170 in the forefoot area may have a substantially planar
and/or perpendicular wall facing the lateral side (e.g., similar to
the direction(s) walls 132 face). Traction elements 170 also may be
provided on the lateral side of the shoe, if desired. Such traction
elements 170 provide good support, ground-penetration, and/or
ground-engagement properties to help resist torque during a golf
swing (e.g., during a downswing motion), good release properties
while walking and/or resuming motion, etc.
Additionally, if desired, additional traction elements may be
provided on the medial (or other) side of the sole structure 100,
such as the relatively small, round traction elements 180 provided
around various traction elements 170, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
Such traction elements 180 can provide additional
ground-penetrating traction and support. Of course, the additional
traction elements 180 may be provided in any desired shape(s)
and/or at any desired positions without departing from this
invention.
As shown, for example, in FIG. 1A, the various recessed segments
108 and 110 divide the outsole member bottom surface 102 into a
plurality of different regions, such as medial and lateral toe
regions (in front of recessed segment 110a), medial and lateral
forefoot regions (between recessed segments 110a and 110b), and
medial and lateral rear regions (behind recessed segment 110b).
These various different regions also may be divided into smaller
regions and/or other regions may be provided, e.g., due to the
presence of additional recessed segments. Additionally, any desired
number, types, or constructions of traction elements may be
provided in the various regions without departing from this
invention.
FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate another example sole structure 200
according to at least some examples of this invention. For brevity
and ease in understanding, parts with the same or similar structure
and function to those shown in the example of FIGS. 1A through 1D
will be labeled with the same reference numbers as used in FIGS. 1A
through 1D.
The sole structure 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B differs in various ways
from the sole structure 100 illustrated in FIGS. 1A through 1D. For
example, this example sole structure 200 includes several lateral
recessed segments and/or lines of flex (e.g., 110c through 110i),
some of which extend only partially across the sole structure 200,
and these recessed segments 110 and/or lines of flex may be filled
or partially filled with filling materials, e.g., of the types
described above. If desired, the various lines of flex and recessed
segments may be provided at locations to enhance flexibility of the
sole structure and provide flexibility, particularly at locations
corresponding to the foot's natural flex points.
Additionally, in this example structure 200, the lateral
reinforcing structure(s) (e.g., structures used to make the lateral
side more stable and/or less flexible than the medial side) extend
or are provided essentially along the entire lateral side of the
sole structure.
While the lateral reinforcing structure may be provided in any
desired manner without departing from this invention, in this
illustrated example, a support base member 202 is provided along
the lateral side, e.g., between the outsole member 204 and an
impact-attenuating member (such as a midsole member) or other
foot-supporting or sole structure 206. Additionally, as illustrated
in FIG. 2B, indentations, weld areas, or other recessed structures
on the top and/or bottom surfaces of the gas-filled bladder 122 may
be filled with foam or other impact-attenuating material (the fill
material shown in FIG. 2B at reference number 208, e.g., the
material of the midsole or other impact-attenuating member, when
the foam or other material making up these members is poured,
etc.).
Additionally or alternatively, if desired, any indentations, weld
areas, or other recessed structures on the top and/or bottom
surfaces of the gas filled bladders 122 may include additional
support structures, such as plastic supports (e.g., PEBAX.RTM. (a
polyether-block co-polyamide polymer available from Atofina
Corporation of Puteaux, France) supports), which can help make the
lateral side more stable and less flexible than the medial side. If
desired, as shown in FIG. 2A, at least some and/or some portions of
the recessed segments 108 and/or 110 may be structured so as to
completely extend through the material of the base level 106 of the
outsole member 204, e.g., such that the support base member 202 or
other portion of the sole structure 200 is exposed through at least
some portions of the recessed segments 108 and/or 110. If desired,
the support base member 202 further may include lines of flex on
its interior and/or exterior surface(s), e.g., at locations
corresponding to the lines of flex of the outsole member 204 (e.g.,
at the locations of recessed segments 108 and/or 110). Of course,
other ways of providing lateral support and/or medial flexibility
may be used, in place of or in combination with the various
examples described above, without departing from the invention.
The support base member 202 may be made from any desired material
without departing from this invention, including conventional
materials known and used in footwear construction, such as plastics
(e.g., PEBAX.RTM. (a polyether-block co-polyamide polymer available
from Atofina Corporation of Puteaux, France), thermoplastic
polyurethanes, etc.). Also, if desired, the support base member 202
may function as a heel plate, an inner sole board, or other portion
of the overall sole structure 200.
FIGS. 2A and 2B further illustrate the inclusion of additional golf
spike traction elements 210 at various locations on the exterior
surface 102 of the outsole member 204. Of course, any number and/or
desired type of traction element 210 may be provided without
departing from this invention, and such traction elements 210 may
be located at any desired position(s) on the exterior surface 102.
In this specific illustrated example structure 200, the traction
elements 210 are arranged to provide a specific orientation when
mounted to the outsole member 204, e.g., the individual traction
elements are structure and mounted with relatively tall and narrow
ground-penetrating members 210a on the lateral side of the forefoot
portion and on the medial side of the heel portion and with torsion
resistant members 210b (e.g., with a substantially perpendicular
wall 210c and a sloping wall 210d as generally described with
respect to traction elements 130 and 140 above) on the medial side
of the forefoot portion and on the lateral side of the heel
portion. These spike type traction elements 210 may be mounted to
the outsole member 204 in any desired manner, including via
threads, other retaining systems, etc., including through the use
of conventional mounting systems that are known and used in the
art.
FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate additional examples of sole structures 300
and 400, respectively, of somewhat differing designs, but that
include various combinations of the features described above. In
these example structures 300 and 400, a longitudinal recessed
segment 108 again runs almost the entire length of the longitudinal
direction of the sole structure 300 and 400 (e.g., at least 85% of
the entire length in this illustrated example, and in some examples
at least 90% or 95% of the entire length) and at least two forefoot
arranged lateral recessed segments 110a and 110b are provided. In
these example structures 300 and 400, a heel oriented lateral
recessed segment 110c is provided that is somewhat curved (FIG. 3)
or "V-shaped" (FIG. 4). Of course, if desired, separate and
independent heel oriented recessed segments may be provided to
replace the single segment 110c shown in these figures (e.g., one
lateral segment extending from the lateral side to the longitudinal
segment 108 and one lateral segment extending from the medial side
to the longitudinal segment 108). Optionally, some, all, and/or
some portions of the recessed segments 108, 11a, 110b, 110c, and/or
others may be at least partially filled with a filler material 112,
as described above. Directionally oriented spike-type traction
elements 210 of the type described in conjunction with FIG. 2A
(e.g., with different orientations in the heel portion v. the
forefoot portion, with different types of spike claws 210a and
210b, etc.) are provided in these example structures 300 and 400,
although other types of spike-type traction elements (or even no
spike-type traction elements) may be provided without departing
from this invention. Also, as shown, traction elements of the types
designated by reference numbers 130, 140, 150, 160, and/or 170, as
well as other types of traction elements, may be included in a
specific sole structure 300 and/or 400 without departing from this
invention.
FIG. 5 illustrates a partial side view of an example article of
footwear 500 that may include a sole structure (e.g., 100, 200,
300, 400, etc.) in accordance with at least some examples of this
invention. The sole structure of this example (reference number 100
used in this illustration) further may include an innersole board
element 510 (see also FIG. 5A) engaged with the interior surface
104 and/or the impact-attenuating member 124 of the sole structure
100. If desired, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 5A, at least the uppermost
surface of the innersole board element 510 (e.g., the surface
nearest the wearer's foot) also may include lines of flex 512
(e.g., thinned regions, pre-bent, bendable, or kinked regions, open
areas or discontinuities, etc.), optionally positioned to
correspond to some or all of the lines of flex and recessed regions
108 and 110 of the outsole member's ground-contacting surface 102.
If desired, the lower surface of the innersole board element 510
also may include lines of flex. The innersole board 510 may provide
additional support, and it may be made from any desired material,
such as metals, polymeric materials (e.g., PEBAX.RTM. (a
polyether-block co-polyamide polymer available from Atofina
Corporation of Puteaux, France), etc.), and the like, and of any
desired thickness and/or varying thicknesses (e.g., 0.25 mm to 5
mm) without departing from this invention. Of course, not all
footwear structures will include an inner sole board member of the
type illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 5A.
In at least some example sole structures 100 according to the
invention, the sole structure 100 further may include a midsole or
other impact-attenuating element 520 (see also FIG. 5B) engaged
with the innersole board 510 (if any), the interior surface 104 of
the sole structure 100, and/or the impact-attenuating member 124 of
the sole structure 100. The midsole or other impact-attenuating
element(s) 520 may be located on the exterior of the overall
footwear structure, within the footwear interior, and/or in any
desired location(s), including as conventional structures and/or at
conventional location(s) known and used in the art, without
departing from this invention (interior midsole members often are
used in combination with an inner sole board structure, e.g., of
the type illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 5A, often in more "dress" or
"saddle" shoe style footwear structures, while exterior midsoles
often are used in more "athletic" or "sneaker" style footwear
structures, typically without an inner sole board). If desired, as
shown in FIGS. 5 and 5B, at least the uppermost surface of the
midsole element 520 (e.g., the surface nearest the wearer's foot)
also may include lines of flex 522 (e.g, thinned regions, pre-bent,
bendable, or kinked regions, open areas or discontinuities, etc.),
optionally positioned to correspond to some or all of the lines of
flex and recessed regions 108 and 110 of the outsole member's
ground-contacting surface 102. If desired, the lower surface of the
midsole element 520 also may include lines of flex. The midsole
element 520 may provide additional impact-attenuation
characteristics, and it may be made from any desired material, such
as rubber, polymeric materials (e.g., polyurethane,
ethylvinylacetate, phylon, phylite, foams, etc.), and the like, and
of any desired thickness and/or of varying thicknesses (e.g., 0.5
mm to 10 mm, and in some examples about 3-8 mm or even 5-6 mm)
without departing from this invention.
The footwear structure 500 of this example further includes an
upper member 502 engaged with the sole structure 100. Any desired
manner of engaging (directly or indirectly) the upper member 502
and the sole structure 100 with one another may be used without
departing from the invention, including conventional ways known and
used in the art. As a more specific example, as illustrated in FIG.
5, the upper member 502 may be engaged and held between the
innersole board 510 and the outsole member 100 and/or between the
midsole element 520 and the outsole member 100, e.g., in
conventional lasting procedures and/or the like, e.g., using
cements, adhesives, stitching, or the like. The upper member 502
may be made of any desired materials and/or combinations of
materials without departing from the invention, including
conventional materials known and used in the art, such as one or
more of fabrics, leathers, polymeric materials, rubber materials,
etc.
The upper member 502 may contain any desired number of pieces
and/or may be made in any desired construction without departing
from the invention, including in conventional constructions known
and used in the art. The footwear structure 500 also may include
additional structures or elements, including conventional
structures and/or elements known and used in the art, such as
securing systems (e.g., laces, buckles, hook-and-loop fasteners,
zippers, etc.); heel counters; insole members; interior booties;
sock liners; additional impact-attenuating elements; gas-filled
bladders; impact-attenuating foam columns; etc.
In use, aspects and features of this invention can help wearers
maintain a high level and degree of surface area contact with the
ground in a variety of different situations, such as when making a
swinging action, when stepping or otherwise moving (even on hilly
or uneven terrain), and/or at other times when a wearer shifts
his/her weight and/or change his/her center of gravity while
wearing the article of footwear 500. For example, when standing
still on level ground (e.g., at the start of a golf swing), a
wearer's weight may be relatively evenly distributed over his/her
feet (e.g., on the center or balls of the feet). As the wearer
begins a golf swing (or other swinging action), he/she may begin to
shift his/her weight to the sides and/or front of the foot (e.g.,
toward the medial side for the front foot and toward the lateral
side for the rear foot during a golf swing). As the center of
gravity or weight shifts across the interior of the sole structure
100, the individual sections and/or sub-sections of the sole member
100 may move (e.g., rotate or move somewhat with respect to one
another about the lines of flex 108 and/or 110) such that the
entire sole member 100 does not lose contact with the ground at one
time and/or at an early time in the overall swing process.
More specifically, as noted above, during the beginning portion of
a golf swing (the backswing), the player's weight may shift toward
the medial side of the front foot and toward the lateral side of
the rear foot. Because the front portion of the front foot's sole
structure 100 can move about the recessed segment 108 as the weight
shifts toward the medial side of the front foot, the lateral
portion of that sole structure 100 can leave the ground if
necessary (due to the flexibility of the sole structure 100 about
recessed segment 108) while the medial portions of the sole
structure 100 maintain good contact with the ground. The
flexibility of the sole structure 100 can help keep the medial side
on the ground for a longer time, e.g., as the wearer moves into the
ball during a downswing (thereby providing solid support for the
downswing and ball contact phases of a typical swing). Similarly,
for the rear foot, because the front portion of the rear foot's
sole structure 100 can move about the recessed segment 108 as the
weight shifts toward the lateral side of the rear foot, the medial
portion of the sole structure 100 can leave the ground if necessary
(due to the flexibility of the sole structure 100 about recessed
segment 108) while the lateral portions of the sole structure 100
maintain good contact with the ground. The heel portion of the foot
also may be made to be movable or rotatable about recessed segment
108 as the player's weight shifts.
As the swing transitions from a backswing to a forward swing, the
player's weight and/or center of gravity may shift in the shoes
back toward the center and toward the shoes' opposite sides (e.g.,
in at least some swing sequences, a twisting force will be applied
with its axis generally running through a central portion of the
wearer's foot or leg). By providing the substantially perpendicular
walls 132 facing the front lateral side of the wearer's foot and
the substantially perpendicular walls 142 facing the rear medial
side of the wearer's foot, a wearer can get good traction to
support pushing off during the golf swing (e.g., the substantially
perpendicular walls 132 and 142 can engage the ground and provide a
relatively solid base for the swing). Additionally, movement of the
various portions of the sole structure 100 about recessed segment
108 (and/or 110) can help maintain more of the sole structure 100
in contact with the ground as the weight shift occurs during the
downswing and follow-through actions.
The traction elements 160 on the front portion of the sole
structure 100 help maintain traction when a wearer is moving or
standing on uphill terrain (e.g., because a wearer typically will
lean forward and/or put more weight on his/her toes to help
maintain his/her balance, the substantially perpendicular walls 162
will engage the ground and help provide traction). In a similar
manner, the rear traction elements 150 at the heel portion of the
sole structure help maintain traction when a wearer is moving or
standing on downhill terrain (e.g., because a wearer typically will
lean backward and/or put more weight on his/her heels to help
maintain his/her balance, the substantially perpendicular walls 152
will engage the ground and help provide traction). Additionally,
because of the weight shift from front to rear and vice versa
(e.g., during step and landing activities while walking, running,
swinging, etc.), movement of some portions of the sole structure
100 with respect to other portions thereof about the lateral
recessed segments 110 enables more of the sole structure 100 to
stay in contact with the ground (e.g., as compared to the degree of
contact with a non-flexible and/or stiff outsole structure), in a
manner similar to that described above for the longitudinal
recessed segments 108.
Notably, the various specific example sole structures illustrated
and described in this specification include: (a)
rotation-inhibiting elements on the lateral side (e.g., lateral of
the longitudinal line of flex) and (b) ground-penetrating elements
on the medial side (e.g., medial of the longitudinal line of flex).
These features can be useful, for example, because during a golf
swing (or other swinging actions), users tend to apply downward
pressure on the medial side of the foot and rotational force on the
lateral side of the foot. Therefore, ground-penetrating traction
elements on the medial side of the shoe sole (e.g., having a
greater height dimension than a base dimension, as described above)
can help provide good downward pressing support and traction during
certain parts of a swing, and rotation-inhibiting elements on the
lateral side of the shoe sole (e.g., having a side facing wall
and/or a height less than at least one of the base width or length
dimensions) can help provide good rotational support and traction
during certain parts of a swing. Of course, additional and/or
alternative locations for ground-penetrating traction elements,
rotation-inhibiting traction elements, and/or other traction
element structures are possible without departing from this
invention.
Additionally, in the illustrated example sole structures, the
various traction element structures are provided at locations on
the sole structure suitable for both the front foot and the rear
foot, e.g., with respect to the typical forces applied to a foot
and shoe during a golf swing. In other words, each shoe of a pair
has the same general sole structure (mirror images of one another).
Of course, if desired, further refinements to the sole structures
and the various traction element structures and locations thereon
may be made to further optimize the traction element structures and
locations specific for the front and rear feet (e.g., during a golf
swing or other activities). In such situations, different golf
shoes (or other sport or activity specific shoes) or combinations
of golf shoes may be provided for right-handed and left-handed
players. In other words, each shoe of a pair need not include a
sole structure that is a mirror image of the sole structure on the
mating shoe of the pair. Footwear pairs having different traction
element structures and arrangements for the right and left feet may
be provided in accordance with at least some examples of this
invention.
Also, as illustrated in the various figures, sole structures in
accordance with examples of this invention may be both "spiked" and
"spikeless" (e.g., both including metal or plastic removable spike
or cleat elements as shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3, and 4, and omitting
such structures as shown in FIGS. 1A through 1C).
Features and aspects of this invention may be applied to a wide
variety of shoes or other foot-receiving devices, particularly
shoes and other foot-receiving devices used when a swinging motion
is made (e.g., golf shoes, baseball or softball shoes, cricket
shoes, field hockey shoes, devices for holding the feet used in
video game play, etc.).
D. Conclusion
While the invention has been described with respect to specific
examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the
invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are
numerous variations, combinations, and permutations of the above
described structures. Moreover, various specific structural
features included in the above examples merely represent examples
of structural features that may be included in some examples of
structures according to the invention. Those skilled in the art
will understand that various specific structural features may be
omitted and/or modified in a footwear or other foot-receiving
device product without departing from the invention. Thus, the
reader should understand that the spirit and scope of the invention
should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended
claims.
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